SHILLONG, May 30: Arts and Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh has urged the youths of the state to embrace creativity as a powerful tool against the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
Speaking at the final event of the art exhibition ‘Shared Stories’, a collaboration between the Artists Point International Art Residency and the Shillong Art Symposium, Lyngdoh said that imagination, expression and emotional intelligence are the only true weapons in the age of AI.
“In this age of AI, our only true weapon is our natural mind, our imagination, expression and emotional intelligence,” Lyngdoh told the gathering at the State Convention Centre on Friday.
Lyngdoh described art not merely as a subject but as the essence of life itself.
“Remove ‘art’ from ‘Earth’ and all you’re left with is ‘eh’,” he quipped, maintaining that creativity lies at the heart of human experience.
Lyngdoh also reflected warmly on the month-long initiative under Samagra Shiksha, which brought together student artists from across Meghalaya. He praised the Education department for fostering a spirit of unity through art—something, he noted, that politics and division often fail to achieve.
“Students from diverse backgrounds and geographical boundaries have come together through art, something politics or divisions cannot do,” the minister remarked.
Urging students to keep expressing themselves, Lyngdoh stressed that stories, emotions and dreams are best channelled through creative outlets.
He then went on to recall a young boy who changed the course of his life simply by being handed a piece of wood and the freedom to create.
“We all have a Picasso within us,” he said, encouraging young minds to explore their potential.
He also shared a deeply personal moment from a national event, where a young girl’s painting combined her fears, hopes and reality into a single piece of art. “That is the power of art,” he said.
Backing Lyngdoh’s message, Education department secretary Swapnil Tembe spoke about the department’s renewed focus on holistic student development.
Addressing the gathering, he spoke about the importance of creative self-expression in education. Among the initiatives he unveiled was a culturally contextual comic book series titled Back to School, designed to resonate with the realities of students in Meghalaya.
Tembe also spoke of his personal engagement with art and writing, and how they contribute to emotional resilience and self-confidence.
“Art is expression. When you give voice to your thoughts, you feel good,” he said, encouraging students to explore music, painting, writing and other creative forms alongside academics.
Acknowledging the lack of exposure many students face, Tembe urged them to actively follow the Education department’s platforms for information on scholarships, competitions and career paths related to the arts.
He then cited the example of a student who, despite family pressure to become an engineer, pursued her passion for art and is now a successful curator running her own company.
